


I will stay right here, baby, if you need me I will carry you

by RainbowRandomness



Category: Ava's Demon
Genre: 5+1 Things, Carrying, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Fluff, How Do I Tag, Romantic Fluff, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 00:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12875919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowRandomness/pseuds/RainbowRandomness
Summary: The first time he carries her she’s unconscious and the world around them is nothing but ash and lingering cinders.





	I will stay right here, baby, if you need me I will carry you

**Author's Note:**

> this was a fucker to write. I'm tired, I have work later, but I needed to finish this fucking thing and I have, so ta da.
> 
> there's been a lack of flaming arrow for a while and I miss them, so I decided I needed to create something for them. took me a while to think of a fic plot, but I did, and now I've written this, and hopefully it's half decent. 
> 
> first time writing for them so go easy on me, eh? hope ya enjoy
> 
> Title from _Carry You_ by Nick Howard

**1**

The first time he carries her she’s unconscious and the world around them is nothing but ash and lingering cinders. No matter how far he walks through the desolate wasteland that was formally Titan HQ, he can still hear the crackling fire that consumed the large Titan statue, and he’s almost sure he can still feel the heat of it at his back.

Ava’s heavier in his arms than he had initially anticipated, though he doesn’t struggle as he holds her. She’s curled into him, her head resting against his chest, and when he glances down at her sleeping form her mouth is open slightly. He knows she’s drooling from the side of her mouth because he can feel a small wet patch spreading across his shirt, though he finds he doesn’t mind.

She looks peaceful in her sleep; there’s a moment where his steps begin to slow as he gazes down at her, and Odin takes a moment to really take in the sight of her. There are so many differences that he’s not entirely sure where to start pinpointing each new feature, so instead he opts for what he can see that’s the same about the girl he met before.

He stares at her, trying to find any features that he could recognise, and feels a hollow feeling spread throughout his core when he realises there’s nothing of the previous Ava that he can see. He frowns, his grip on her tightening.

It’s then that she opens her eyes; it’s only for a brief moment, one that startles him when he feels he’s been caught staring, and he almost turns to look away. He expects her to tease him, though when she says nothing it becomes clear that she’s not awake, and Odin relaxes his shoulders from their rigid frame.

Odin looks down at her again and almost startles again when his gaze locks with hers. She’s watching him, her eyes half lidded and glazed over with sleep. He knows she’s not fully conscious, knows she won't remember this when she wakes up, and allows himself the privilege to watch her in turn.

It’s then that he recognizes her; her eyes are the same as before.

He lets go of a breath he didn’t realise he had been holding, and it comes out in a stuttered rush of relief. Despite every sudden change, Ava’s eyes are still the same, and something about the fact comforts him.

Ava’s lips tweak up into a small smile, as though she knows what he’s thinking or can understand whatever it is that he’s feeling. He watches as her eyes slip closed again and absentmindedly thinks of how pretty she looks while peacefully sleeping.

He stops, shaking his head at himself. Adjusting his grip and holding her tighter, he tries not to dwell on that thought for too long and continues to walk.

 

**2**

The second time he carries her the air is cold and she is warm against his back. Snow is falling gently from above, catching on the bare branches of the towering trees and settling on the ground at his feet. The earth crunches beneath his boots and he can see his breath forming before him in the air.

“Thank you for carrying me Odin.”

Ava’s voice is muffled by the scarf wrapped around her neck and Odin’s only response is a grunt in acknowledgement. He shifts his grasp on the backs of her thighs, hoisting her higher up onto his back so that she doesn’t slip off.

Despite the immense power surging through her veins, Ava is nothing short of clumsy. Hiking through the woods had become one of her favourite pastimes since arriving on Odin’s home planet, and Odin, though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, enjoyed accompanying her on her trips. Their shared walks through the thick woodland were one of the few times that Odin could relax and was allowed to be silent and take in the serenity of his environment without feeling pressured to talk with the person beside him, or act in any certain way.

Ava didn’t mind that he liked to be quiet sometimes, and he was thankful for her understanding. In turn, he understood her curiosity at the vast differences between his planet and the Titan controlled planet she grew up on. He was more than happy to indulge her with any knowledge that he had about their surroundings, and if he were honest with himself, he felt happy that she listened so eagerly to what he had to say.

It was during one of their many walks through the woods that Ava had misplaced her footing and found herself tumbling down into a small, debris filled ditch, twisting her ankle in the process of her fall. Odin had quickly scrambled down to join her, the wet earth giving away easily as he slid down to join her.

“You’ve t-twisted y-your ankle,” he’d said, hands hovering over the injured area. Ava had whimpered, face screwed into an image of discomfort and pain as she tried to move, only to have Odin stop her.

“Y-you’ll h-hurt yourself m-more if you move t-too much. L-let me h-help.”

It had taken some time, but in the end they had managed to work together so that Ava was hoisted up on Odin’s back and they had begun their walk back to his home. They hadn’t walked as far as they usually did, so Odin didn’t worry over whether or not they would make it home before it became dark.

She was warm against his back; if he didn’t already know that lava ran beneath her skin then he would be worried over the feverish temperature she emitted. As it stood, her body pressed against his kept him from shivering against the cold of the air and the falling snow. It was as if she was his own little space heater, and the thought caused him to smile.

Her arms were hanging loosely over his shoulders and he felt himself tense for a moment when she shifted, drawing her arms tighter around his neck. Sucking in a harsh breath, his throat closed at the thought of what was to follow and he braced himself against it. When her arms stayed loose around his neck he relaxed again, letting go a stuttered breath as Ava nuzzled her face against his shoulder. She didn’t mention how he had tensed at her touch, nor how his head had tilted back marginally to meet hers as she nuzzled closer to him.

They continued their trek back, both of them mostly silent save for a few conversations here and there. The snow had begun to fall quicker as they made their way back, a thickening blanket of white dusting the woodland floor.  

“We’ll b-be home s-soon,” he murmurs, adjusting his grip once more. When he doesn’t receive a reply, he chances a glance over his shoulder and feels his lips twitch when he notices her eyes are closed. She’s fallen asleep against his back; if he listened closely, he could hear her fair snores and feel her breath tickling the hairs at the nape of his neck.

Huffing a small laugh, Odin smiles to himself and continues his journey home.

 

**3**

When he carries her for the third time there is a sun beating down upon them and ripe fruits wait patiently for them in the trees. The planet they have landed on has a humid atmosphere and is covered with thick, green forests that always lead out towards sandy shores and rolling sea tides. There is an abundance of fruit that grows from the trees in all shapes and colours, and their skins glisten beneath the sunlight.

Odin stretches his arm above his head, testing the distance between himself and the nearest branch, and then squats, readying himself. He pauses for only a moment, calculating, before springing up into the air, stretching out his arm and grasping the closest fruit, plucking it straight from the tree. He lands on his feet almost gracefully, and smiles to himself at his accomplishment.

Turning around to lean against the tree, he looks out towards the others and watches as they enjoy the fruit they have gathered, all of them biting into the shiny skin and then into the juicy flesh beneath. Some of them have gathered into a circle, sitting down amongst the soft grass, exchanging fruit and laughter. It’s a sweet sight, something not often seen, though as the years begin to pass the hosts gathered so far are beginning to get along more and more. Odin still finds it strange that there is so many of them, but even he is becoming used to them all.

Moving his gaze from the others, Odin scans the surrounding area until his eyes finally land on who he was searching for. It’s difficult to miss Ava with her fiery red hair sticking out against the various shades of green that make up the forest around them, though sometimes she tries to make herself less noticeable. She’s wearing a cream sundress, and her hair is a long braid that hangs low down her back; there’s a purple ribbon interwoven between her entwined hair, an accessory that Odin finds hard to ignore.

She’s standing beneath one of the trees, her gaze pointedly fixed upwards at a glistening wine coloured fruit that hangs from one of the white branches. She stretches her arm out above her, assessing the distance between her and the fruit, and Odin pushes himself up from the tree he was leaning on, making his way over to where Ava is standing.

“Y-you can’t r-reach it on your o-own.”

She turns at the sound of his voice, a smile already tugging at her lips. She looks from him to the fruit and back to him again, raising a brow at him. “I can’t?”

“N-no.” He says, placing his own fruit by the base of the tree. He squats, bracing his hands on his knees, and looks up at Ava. “I’ll h-help you up.”

Her eyebrows raise in surprise at him and then arch in question. He pats his shoulder as a way to answer her, and she nods in understanding before moving to perch herself upon his shoulder. Once she’s sure she’s comfortable and secure, he wraps his arms around her legs and pushes himself upwards until he’s standing to his full height.

When Ava reaches her arms out above her, her fingers easily brush the fruit. She grins, giggling happily like a child, and grabs for the fruit, plucking it from the branches and clutching it to her chest like a prize. Odin watches her, a smile tugging at his own lips, as he carries her over to the next tree and lets her grab for more of the colourful fruit, repeating the action until Ava’s carrying a small bundle of various fruit in her arms and she asks to be put down.

Odin walks over to the first tree, the fruit he caught earlier still resting at its base. He leans down, allowing Ava to slide off his shoulder, and then grabs for his fruit. He turns, twisting his body round so that he seats himself at the base of the tree, his back against the bark. Ava sits herself beside him, her shoulder bumping against his as she leans back against the tree.

“H-happy with your l-loot?” he asks, grinning at her. She grins back at him and promptly takes a large bite out of one of the purple fruits, piercing the skin with her fangs and squirting juice over the both of them. Odin flinches back, a surprised noise escaping his throat, and Ava stifles a laugh around her mouthful of food.

Juice is dripping down her chin, the liquid glinting in the sunlight streaming through the trees. Odin reaches forward, unthinking, and cups her face with his hand, wiping the juice away with a swipe of his thumb.

Ava immediately stills, and Odin can feel her cheeks burning beneath his palm. He takes his hand away as if he’s been scorched; his own cheeks are dangerously warm and an apology is already on the tip of his tongue.

“A-Ava, I’m s-s-sorry, I-”

He stops talking once she reaches out and grabs for his hand. She’s staring at him; her cheeks are a bright shade of beet red as she entwines their fingers together and rests their hands on the small patch of grass between their thighs.

Odin stares down at their hands and then flicks his gaze up to Ava’s, feeling somewhat speechless. She doesn’t say anything either and instead gives him a timid yet encouraging smile, squeezing his hand gently with hers.

There’s another beat before he relaxes again. She notices the way his shoulder loosen and her smile grows. Finally, she looks away from him, her cheeks still warm, and she bites into her fruit again. Odin does the same, enjoying the burst of flavour that hits his tongue.

It’s nothing in comparison to the way Ava’s blush increases when he squeezes her hand in his.

 

**4**

The fourth time he carries her there is war around them and the earth is scorched with their blood and their powers. Embers dance in the air and the sky is black above them; Odin touches the face of a Follower and watches them gasp before falling limp at his touch. His veins glow pink beneath the dark purple of his skin.

There are so many of them, a hoard of white and blue that charge towards them, and this is only one of the many battles they have fought in their time, and still it is not the last. The scent of death is something Odin has become accustomed to, for more reasons than the battlefield alone, and the sight of blood and the dead pierce his memory, overlapping with similar sights he’s witnessed before.

He scans the bodies for her, always searching for her in these moments. Though he knows she’s powerful, though he understands she is their leader, something within him twists at the thought that somehow this will be their last fight. A part of him knows this won’t be true, that’s not how these pacts work, there’s always a part of him that worries for her regardless. Seeing her means he knows she is safe, and so his eyes scan the masses across the battlefield until he finds her.

What little light there is glints against Ava’s battleaxe as she raises it into the air and swiftly brings it down, slamming it into the ground so that it breaks beneath her feet, splintering into cracked pieces that send their enemies tumbling. Though they fall they soon rise, and promptly charge towards her, guns raised and orders screamed. Ava’s laugh is high pitched and echoed, as though someone else is laughing with her, and her axe is brought down upon them once more.

She doesn’t see the ones behind her. At least one of them manages to leap towards her, gun connecting with the back of her skull, and when she falls to the ground something feral rips itself from Odin’s throat as he screams across the space between them.

He runs, taking down every Follower he can as he goes. His scythe slices through skin, flesh, bones, rips limbs from bodies and leaves splatters of blood on the floor and along the blade.

He doesn’t care; he doesn’t look at them, keeps his eyes focused on Ava as he runs towards her, screaming, growling, telling them to _GET OFF HER_ until at last he is by her side. He raises his scythe and brings it down upon the earth, the ground breaking apart at the contact with a deafening crack akin to the sound of immediate thunder. The ground glows with his powers, purple embers rising from the earth into the air as bodies fall to the floor, dead.

Kneeling down, he rests Ava against his lap, hands shaking as they flittering over her. He touches her face, neck, shoulders, stroking her hair back from her face and cupping her cheeks. She’s not dead; he knows she can’t be, he would _know_ if she was. But she’s not waking up and his heart is beating too quickly beneath his ribcage, blood rushing through his ears and fear is twisting his gut until he feels like being sick.

A Follower attempts to approach and Odin spares them a single glare before easily slicing them into ribbons. He looks out across the war torn land, sees the other hosts fighting against their enemies, and knows they will win this battle. The surviving Followers are already beginning to draw back and the hosts are advancing on them, taking them down in masses. They will survive this fight without him.

Odin leans down and slides his arm beneath her knees, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. There’s a moment where he pauses, thinking back to the first time he did this, and he shakes his head to dispel the memory. He lifts her into his arms and holds her close to him, keeping her safe.

“L-let’s go, Ava.”

 

**5**

When he carries her for the fifth time, the battle has long since ended and she finally wakes. The stench of blood and death lingers in the air and clings to their skin but the distance between them and the planet increases as the ship continues on its course. They’ll make a few stops before visiting Odin’s planet, and then they’ll have to plot a course for the next planet where war waits for them.

It’s not easy; no matter how much time passes or how many times they do this. It never gets easier.

Odin stays by her bedside as she sleeps; Gil visits twice to check on her, flittering around the medbay area searching for something to do. Odin watches him when he does this, waiting for Gil to say something, though he never does, simply checks Ava’s vitals and leaves after giving Odin a tight lipped smile. Odin never says anything either, simply sits and looses himself, thinking deeply about what their next move will be.

He’s concentration is so focused on his thoughts that he almost doesn’t realise Ava’s awake until her eyes flutter open and she’s staring straight at him, locking with his gaze.

“Did we survive?”

 It’s the first question that drops from her lips; Odin isn’t surprised.

“Yes.”

Ava visibly relaxes, breathing deeply with relief. “Are we on our way home?”

Home is his planet. Though the others always travel with them, though the other hosts always stay, it is not their home. For Odin, it always has been and always shall be; for Ava, it has become her home and shall stay that way until she wishes otherwise.

Odin hopes that day never comes.

He nods and she hums, her eyes drifting shut for a moment. He almost thinks to leave and allow her some time alone when she speaks again.

“Can you take me to our room?”

He says nothing and simply moves, slipping his arms around her torso and lifting her into his arms. She doesn’t open her eyes but instinctively nuzzles into the crook of his neck, her arms winding round his shoulders.

They’re familiar with this; they know the routine.

Adjusting his grip, he places his arms beneath her thighs and she wraps her legs around his waist, clinging tight until she’s sure Odin’s holding her securely, and then she loosens her limbs, completely trusting him. He reaches up one arm to wrap around her waist and squeezes, an affirmation that he’s got her, and a way to express his affection silently.

They leave the medbay, Ava already beginning to drift back to sleep within the safety of Odin’s arms. He presses a chaste kiss to the top of her head and carries her to their room.

 

**+1**

“D-do you r-remember the first time I c-carried you?”

Ava hums, nuzzling closer to Odin’s chest. They’re nestled beneath the thick covers of their bed, enjoying a moment of quiet and warmth. A fire crackles from the marble fireplace from the side of the room, and snow falls gently from outside the frosted window. The heavy curtains are drawn across all the windows, casting their bedroom in darkness, save for the one sliver of light piercing through the open slit of a set of curtains that weren’t fully closed.

“The first time I remember you carrying me was the time I twisted my ankle in the woods,” comes Ava’s murmured reply. She’s glowing faintly in the darkness beside him, and he pulls the covers up higher over them, wanting to conserve warmth. He needn’t worry about the escaping heat, not when Ava’s warm and tucked into his side, her head beneath his chin.

“Hmm,” he hums, using his arms wrapped around her waist to draw her closer, “that w-wasn’t the first t-time. Though it was the f-first time you were c-conscious enough to know I was c-carrying you.”

He huffs a small laugh, beginning to chuckle to himself, “Though t-that d-didn’t last l-long.”

Ava smacks his side as he laughs to himself and he quietens down. He presses his face to the top of her head, breathing in the smell of her hair; something floral and warm, what he imagines a meadow smells like during a summer’s eve.

Odin sobers for a moment, his voice hushed and soft as he speaks, “I’ll c-carry you whenever you n-need me to, to w-wherever you need me to t-take you. I’ll always b-be there to c-carry you, Ava.”

His lips twitch up into a small smile when he feels her kiss his collarbone gently in reply.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she murmurs, her voice soft. He kisses the top of her head, knowing she’s drifting off to sleep, and closes his eyes to join her.

**Author's Note:**

> come follow me on [tumblr](http://rainbow-randomness.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I do not give permission to have any of my works put up on goodreads or any other such site.


End file.
